Moving Custom NPC's and quests from test server to live

[Teddy Claypool]

Hello all.

 I work for a public library system that hosts Minecraft Edu programs. We've created a world that has copies of our libraries, and then various fun places designed by/for different Youth Services librarians. We use Custom NPC's mod (along with basically every mod that world of humanities has) to create the people and quests and such for the kids that play. I also have a test server with a copy of the world file that I try out things I haven't done before, or work out kinks in quests, or test new NPC's before putting them in the game. 

My question, is apart from copying the entire save world file and moving it over, is there anyway to put in the quests and npcs I've made on the test server? I don't like copying the world file completely because if players have done a great deal of work (there is a player town maintained and ran by players) then it all gets erased when I move over the file that may be a couple days older than the live server. I would think I might be able to just pull certain .dat files or folders from where I've done the custom additions, but not wipe out any building the players have done to the world in the mean time.

Thank you,

[Eric]

In your world file folder (minecraftedu/servertool/worlds/savedworlds/[name]/), you will find a customnpcs folder. Copy that folder into the server savedworld folder (overwriting the old version), and you should be good to go. There may be problems if a dialogue or quest links to an NPC that doesn't exist in your server world file yet, though. Keep in mind that the NPCs themselves are saved as entity info in the world files, and the existence of the NPCs can only be transferred by copying the whole world over. Their dialogue, quests, and player stats can all be transferred by following the above directions, however.

[Eric]

When you want to update your map (including new NPCs you've created), but keep player work, you have to do something that is a bit more time-consuming and tricky. You have to use the MCEdit program, and copy out all the existing player work as schematic files, then paste them into your updated map before you upload it to your server. It can be very time-consuming. It's always a good idea to keep NPCs and student building areas a bit separate, to make for easier copying and pasting of existing student work into your new updated world. 

[Teddy Claypool]

Thanks Eric!

In most cases I'm simply adding quests to the NPC's that I have set up already but does nothing. I appreciate the help!